Dear colleagues,
My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new
paper:
Gregorietti M., Atzori F., Carosso L., Frau F., Pellegrino G., Sarà G. & Arcangeli A. 2021. Cetacean presence and distribution in the central
Mediterranean Sea and potential risks deriving from plastic pollution. Marine Pollution Bulletin
Abstract:
The
Sardinian and Sicilian Channels are considered hotspots of biodiversity and key
ecological passages between Mediterranean sub-basins, but with significant
knowledge gaps about marine mammal presence and potential threats they face.
Using
data collected between 2013-2019 along fixed transects, inter and intra-annual
cetacean index of abundance was assessed. Habitat suitability, seasonal hot
spots, and risk exposure for plastic were performed using the Kernel analysis
and the Biomod2 R-package.
661
sightings of 8 cetacean species were recorded, with bottlenose and striped
dolphins as the most sighted species. The north-eastern pelagic sector, the
coastal waters and areas near ridges resulted the most suitable habitats for these
species. The risk analysis identified the Tunis, Palermo, and Castellammare
gulfs and the Egadi Island as areas of particular risk of plastic exposure.
The
study represents a great improvement for cetacean knowledge in this region and contributes
to the development of effective conservation strategies.
The article is available at:
https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1do2l,ash%7ESDi
Kind regards,
Martina Gregorietti